#thanks

I've been thinking about prayer a bunch lately. Who does it? Why? How? Should I be doing it? Do I actually do it and not recognize it as such? Is it only for 'religious' people? Do you only pray to God with a capital "G"? What's the purpose? So many questions, right? I do know there are different types of prayer. There's what I would call 'ritual' prayer. Those memorized prayers that everyone does for a specific need or purpose. There's the just-before-bed-on-your-knees prayer. There's the blessing of the food before dinner prayer. There are a litany of these everyday and special occasion prayers. Mass, Hail Mary's, baptism, last rites, Passover, sacrament, etc. BUT the kinda prayer that I've been curious about is the one that comes from my inner essence (my inner drop) and is directed at--what?? Where is it going? Why do it? It's the kinda prayer that solidifies and puts to order the challenges, wishes, needs, and requests that just kinda need a space to go. I'm hashing this out in my spirit right now. Not because I'm fighting it, but because I want to discover more about it and how we frail little humans use it and need it. I'm coming across many podcasts, books, and speakers that weave their prayers into all they do and they speak about it so wonderfully. It really hits me when they share their prayers. I feel the truth of it...of their belief and knowing of it to be powerful and necessary. I am in total L O V E with Anne Lamott. Saint Anne, as I recently heard her called. I know it is true. Such wisdom and so witty with words. Her book of the only 3 prayers you ever need: Help, Thanks, and Wow. Says it all, [...]

Have you lost your pride? Now I have you thinking of it one way...but what if I mean it a totally different way? What if I was talking about your tribe, your peeps, your fam, your gal pals? How close are they lately? How much do you support each other? How much do you BUILD each other up? And in what ways? Do you have each others' backs? Would you go into the hunt with them? Are they the kin that can hold space for you in the ickiest of times? Why am I talking about hunting, peeps and pride? Have you noticed my BOSS Lady friend? The lioness has been a companion of mine in my healing work and in my personal growth work for quite some time. She is the ultimate protector, hunter, loyal, fierce, smart, nurturing matriarch. She is the BOSS of the PRIDE (a group of lions). I love to tap into that feeling, that image, that vibration when I need a boost of courage and strength to reach for more, to overcome fear and to feel the strength to keep going. She rules the pride with a fierce yet loving strength. That's how I view all of you in this Pride. This Pride full of woman bosses, mothers, creators and dreamers who are reaching, healing, growing and creating more for their life and business. Women embodying this lioness. Fierce, loyal, strong, loving, nurturing and courageous hunters. I hope (with all my heart) that I can inspire and support you to be that lioness. To have power, passion and purpose in your life. When you have these things--all the other stuff falls more easily into place. You know the answers. You know your boundaries. You know the decision that is in alignment with you and where [...]

Nature is not caught up in all the hustle & bustle that happens at this time of the year...she has gone quiet, deep & restful. The stark beauty of winter has Her stripped bare. Her strength, beauty & wisdom is embraced in the arms of the earth where She's renewing, designing & gathering Herself for the anticipation of all the new that is coming. You too can take a moment at the Solstice to go deep & sit with your inner self in quiet wisdom of the stark winter. It is the beginning of the new cycle. It's where we begin to gather the energies for our next cycle. In this quiet time we begin to birth it. I love to gather with close friends on the glittering evening of the Winter Solstice around the fire & light a candle as I reflect on the retreating year & all the potentials of the coming one. Sometimes I write lists of what I want to release, renew & embrace on this night. In a few weeks more I will start to make a more specific plans for the coming year. The 2015 Solstice is on Monday December 21 at 8:48pm (Pacific Daylight Time) or Tuesday, December 22, 2015 at 04:49 UTC. And for many of you reading this it may be the Summer Solstice if you are in the Southern Hemisphere. But for me, here in the lush moist landscape of the Pacific Northwest it is definitely the Winter Solstice. (I find it always interesting the yin & yang nature of our World.) At the about 1o minutes before & after the specific time, I intend to sit in reflection & offer to sync my own personal cycle with the inherent natural rhythms of our Mother Gaia. I will ask that [...]

Just up the road from my house is a shuttered stark barren house. No signs of the past, no hope of the future. Just there. A form without a purpose. Even the yard around it shows no signs of the people or life that happened there. There’s no lingering laughter of the 5th birthday party under the grand tree. The swing set has long been retired. The smells of roast chicken and mashed potatoes with gravy have long dissipated. But does this actually seeing was has come before have to influence the present. What if you saw the potential that is everywhere? What if, by opening up those shuttered windows and shining a new light on what is there you could jump into a new way of being? You’ve been bogged down and thinking it was another way instead of opening up and perceiving with new sight what could be. SEE what you hope for, what can be, what is available, what is there and always has been. It is not that things outside of change. It is what is inside of us and how we see it that changes. You know- you know…you do! Right now –that more is out there. You sense it. You feel it. Sometimes you feel it right down to your bones. You want to connect with that. Sometimes you get close. And right now you feel like it is time to break through and really see what it is that you want. You have this dream, this wish--to change, to be, to do, and to connect. I once felt like I was in that shuttered house. But--I saw it as a beautiful house. I felt like it was sturdy. I felt like it was solid. I didn’t realize the windows were shuttered. I wasn’t [...]

Accessing the Power of Gratitude The practice of gratitude as a tool for happiness has been in the mainstream for years. Long-term studies support gratitude’s effectiveness, suggesting that a positive, appreciative attitude contributes to greater success in work, greater health, peak performance in sports and business, a higher sense of well-being, and a faster rate of recovery from surgery. But while we may acknowledge gratitude’s many benefits, it still can be difficult to sustain. So many of us are trained to notice what is broken, undone or lacking in our lives. And for gratitude to meet its full healing potential in our lives, it needs to become more than just a Thanksgiving word. We have to learn a new way of looking at things, a new habit. And that can take some time. That’s why practicing gratitude makes so much sense. When we practice giving thanks for all we have, instead of complaining about what we lack, we give ourselves the chance to see all of life as an opportunity and a blessing. Remember that gratitude isn’t a blindly optimistic approach in which the bad things in life are whitewashed or ignored. It’s more a matter of where we put our focus and attention. Pain and injustice exist in this world, but when we focus on the gifts of life, we gain a feeling of well-being. Gratitude balances us and gives us hope. There are many things to be grateful for: colorful autumn leaves, legs that work, friends who listen and really hear, chocolate, fresh eggs, warm jackets, tomatoes, the ability to read, roses, our health, butterflies. What’s on your list? Some Ways to Practice Gratitude • Keep a gratitude journal in which you list things for which you are thankful. You can make daily, weekly or monthly lists. Greater [...]